The Stuttgarter Hymnus-Chorknaben looks back on the history of nine decades. Paul von Lechler (1849-1925), one of the most striking Swabian entrepreneur personalities of his time, founded the choir on his own private initiative in 1900, inspired by the famous boys’ choirs of Leipzig and Dresden and the Berlin ‘Kurrende’, all of which he has encountered during his travels.

The new choir soon enjoyed an excellent reputation in Stuttgart community life and musical circles and, after its re-foundation in 1946 by Professor Gerhard Wilhelm, its long-standing director, became internationally recognized. Eckhard Weyand, musical director of the choir since 1987, carries on the tradition.

In 1971 after various provisional arrangements, the choir was given its own house in Stuttgart. This building fulfills all requirements necessary for the choral work, which is carried out here with much idealism. The 8- to 14-year-old boys and the young men, who mostly belonged to the choir as boys, often have to accept the burden of long journeys to choir practice or to performances after their school work is done.

The Stuttgarter Hymnus-Chorknaben usually performs in churches and concert halls in Baden-Württemberg, but concert tours to other parts of Germany and abroad take place regularly. In recent years the choir has performed with great success in Israel, France, Poland, Switzerland and in the Soviet Union (Riga).

The whole spectrum of European Sacred music including motets, cantatas and oratorios is represented in the choir’s repertoire. In spite of frequent concert activities it has always remained a matter of course for the Stuttgarter Hymnus-Chorknaben to sing regularly at church services to the propagation and glory of God.

Source: Liner notes to the 2-CD album ‘J.S. Bach: St. John Passion’ conducted by Eckhard Weyand (Hänssler, 1998)
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